Parametric Study on EGR Cooler Fouling Mechanism Using Model Gas and Light-Duty Diesel Engine Exhaust Gas

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and high-pressure fuel injection are key technologies for reducing diesel engine emissions in the face of reinforced regulations. With the increasing need for advanced EGR technologies to achieve low-temperature combustion and low emission, the adverse etableffects of EGR must be addressed. One of the main problems is fouling of the EGR cooler, which involves the deposition of particulate matter (PM) due to the thermophoretic force between the cooler wall and flow field. A large amount of deposited PM can reduce the effectiveness of the heat exchanger in the EGR cooler and the de-NO x efficiency. In the present study, the effects of the variables that affect EGR cooler fouling are investigated by a comparison of laboratory-based and engine-based experiments. In the laboratory experiment, a soot generator that could readily provide separate control of the variables was used to generate the model EGR gas. Through control of the soot generator, it was possible to perform a parametric study by varying the particle size, the EGR gas flow rate, and the coolant temperature as the dominant parameters. A decrease in these factors caused an increase in the mass of the deposit and a drop in the effectiveness of the heat exchanger, related to fouling of the EGR cooler. In the engine-based experiment, engine-like conditions were provided to analyze real exhaust gas without a soot generator. Different variables were found to induce fouling of the EGR cooler, and the results of the engine-based experiment differed from those of the laboratory experiment. For example, in the engine-based experiment, a decrease in the EGR gas flow rate did not lead to a more pronounced drop in the effectiveness of the heat exchanger because of the increase in the concentration of PM in the EGR gas. This result shows that the conditions of the engine exhaust gas are different from those of the soot generator.